I like random bits of information; they tickle my insides. However, occasionally I run into a thoroughly boring person. Henry Purcell is such a person.
He wrote music and died at Westminster Abbey. He’s known for writing choir and theater music. he barely has enough about him to get him in every area of reference (encyclopedias and such) but not enough to say he was the best or first of anything. He wrote an Opera called Diddo and something. Which just means it’s someone else’s opera that he wrote again about a girl named, Dido (which is just some girl that you’ve done again). The opera features the song “Dido’s Lament.” I can relate. To be fair, I haven’t actually heard his music but on paper he makes me fall asleep.
I tried diving in a little under the surface to find something to interest me. He officially wrote music for a boring king, King Charles the second (the first would have been something noteworthy, but again – fail *sigh*). King Charles II of England was so boring that that when his father King Charles I climaxed his life with an execution, the English Parliament ignored him for eleven years. He wasn’t king of them until the Puritans become a problem for being just Puritan, blah blah blah. This is in 1600′s before Puritans become interesting and started rising up demanding religious freedom and going over to the colony-thingies in the America-Whatcha-McCallits. King Charles II is known for restoring normality *yawn*. Charles II was King during the dawn of the Tory Party and sided with them during that time. I was grasping when I wished he had started the Tories. If you are familiar with this political group, they’re pretty dull too and to just say “yeah, I’m with them, why not.” is just a little depressing. There is one thing interesting about Charles II though…ready, you read all this way. I hope it was worth it. Charles II was first cousins with King Louis XIV of France. (Oh yeah, last note on Charlie 2, he was the deadbeat that borrowed a lot of money from his French relative because he was a lazy, hedonistic slob with twelve bastard children, I’m moving on.)
Now Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” is interesting. He lived in the swanky Palace of Versailles, fought in three major wars, his successor was 5-years-old, and he possessed a racy set of gams (go ahead look up any picture of him, I bet he’s wearing prominent tights).
So I am pleased to say I found one thing that I like about Henry Purcell. Henry Purcell was the guy commissioned by Charles II that borrowed money from a King with a bigger leg fetish than any guy I’ve met in West Hollywood. Good for you, Henry! Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming with me on this little jog through a dreary world book entry. Have pleasant dreams. I hope you are not feeling sleepy after reading this article but if your eyelids can’t take anymore, make sure to call a taxi; get home safe. It’s the way Henry would have wanted it.
Didn’t fall asleep